Korean Basketball League 2014-2015 Season

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The KBL game is now 48 minutes per game after the international standard of 40 minutes since the KBL's inception in 1997. Watch how foreign players' usage percentage will increment. That and the officials will meet about cutting down the season's schedule by as much as six games due to the busy offseason for national team players from the teams that will prepare, compete in the FIBA World Cup and Asian Games.

2014 ended with Ulsan Mobis Phoebus winning back to back championships. The focus for the season is to win a third consecutive or a "three-peat". Ham Ji-Hoon's contract will be renewed while it is not addressed at the moment on what to do with Rod Benson, given that this season, his relationship with Yoo Jae-Hak has soured. Ricardo Ratliffe will surely be retained.

As for LG Sakers, charge it to experience for the finals run. Kim Jong-Kyu will comeback armed with the experience. Moon Tae-Jong will be subject for another bidding but the Sakers would want him back despite him going to be 39 this year. SK another contender, will most likely keep it together and will bank on how much Kim Sun-Hyung can bring them alongside their veterans.

One of the bigger stories is the return of Ha Seung-Jin for the Jeonju KCC Egis after a two season absence due to mandatory service. Ha will reunite with Hur Jae joining the emerging superstar Kim Min-Goo.

Lee Sang-Min, the legendary shooter was appointed head coach by Samsung and looks to follow in the path of former great players having a successful coaching career. He has learned from Kim Dong-Kwang for a season and a half. He inherits a veteran team equipped with young talents poised to break out next season. Lee spent much of the month of March in the United States scouting potential foreign player recruits for next season. He has been in NBA, NBA D-League games and met Portland Trailblazer's Terry Stotts, for coaching advice. Maybe Lee is planning to implement some of Portland's Rounded Mis-direction offense.

Kim Young-Man is now in charge of Wonju Dongbu Promy which is the oldest team in the KBL. Kim Joo-Sung and Lee Seung-Jun are in the twilight of their careers and this is the last season where a playoff appearance is a must. Much of it hinges on the core's health. Wonju was badly ravaged by injuries.

The KBL draft will change the landscape of the league once more. The most likely top pick, Lee Seung-Hyun of Korea University is already a complete player and teams like Busan KT and Samsung are looking to nab.

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Oh Se-Keun of Anyang KGC, Choi Jin-Soo of Goyang and Byun Ki-Hoon of SK headlines the armed forces draftees for 2014-2015. Oh's presence hurts the most for KGC who will join teammate Lee Jung-Hyun with Sang-Moo. Choi Jin-Soo's shooting will also be missed by Goyang as this may force them to go slower in tempo with veteran Kim Dong-Wook increasing his minutes and usage. SK loses their starting shooting guard and may use Park Sung-Ree might get more minutes at the 2 spot.

LG loses Park Rae-Hun but still manageable with Ki Seung-Ho and the ever dependable Young Woo-Sub stepping up. This also means that Rae-Hun's brother, Park Rae-Yun may finally get a crack at the 12.

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Samsung's Lee Sang-Min added Lee Kyu-Sup and Park Hong-Eun as his assistant coaches. Lee Kyu-Sup will head player development while Park, who is the former coach of the team will still be the chief scout but will assist on tactical analysis.

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Charles Rhodes posted this on facebook and stated that Korea is his second home.

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There have been slight confirmation about back to back games involving a team series next season. Similar to what the neighboring East Asian countries like for example, Japan's NBL and BJ-League. For the KBL, it will compact the schedule by several weeks and less traveling for the regular season.

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KBL board of governors increased the teams' permitted season rosters to 14 players and increased the salary cap by 100m Won.

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Rumors now floating up that Moon Kyeung-Eun would like to retain the services of Aaron Haynes and Courtney Sims. As for Seoul SK, they need a better rebounding bigman. It was rebounding that Ulsan used to beat them in the playoffs.

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Yang Hee-Jong signs a fresh new 5 year contract with Anyang KGC.

I hope he is healthy this season as KGC will need every bit of firepower they can get from him as Lee Jung-Hyun will return next year while Oh Se-Keun will be out for a year and a half.

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Anyang KGC signed back Yang Hee-Jong (30yrs) for a five year contract. While Jeong Young-Sam (30yrs) signed for a five year deal with Incheon ET Land Elephants.

According to reports, Ham Ji-Hoon was offered a three year deal by Ulsan but he has yet to sign.

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Anyang KGC signs Kim Tae-Sol to a five year deal and immediately traded to Jeonju KCC Egis for the veteran, Kang Byung-Hyun.

With this trade, the point guard role of KGC is handed to Park Chan-Hee, the former 1st pick overall. KGC would not sacrifice their flexibility when Oh Se-Keun becomes eligible for an extension. Kang will most likely play SG to add firepower with Yang Hee-Jong while Lee Jung-Hyun is still out.

For KCC Egis, Kim Tae-Sol brings in the much needed floor general to facilitate the offense as Ha Seung-Jin is coming back. Kim joins Kim Min-Goo as the back-court and that creates the best defensive guard tandem in the league.

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Samsung's Kim Seung-Hyun has announced his retirement at age 36. He is among the best passers in KBL history.

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Busan KT acquires Lee Kwang-Jae from Wonju Dongbu Promy in exchange for Kim Jong-Bum and Kim Hyun-Joong.

Busan really went overboard with this one as they also re-signed Oh Young-Jun and Song Young-Jin. Wonju cannot afford to intake Kwang-Jae's contract, hence this trade.

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Moon Tae-Jong re-signed with LG for another year and got a maximum salary. This in turn stalled the negotiations between LG and Kim Young-Hwan. Rumor has it that LG is going for a sign and trade with Young-Hwan and most likely takes are Goyang.

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KBL 2014-15 schedule was posted. http://kbl.or.kr/main/main.asp

Season starts October 11, 2014
Season ends March 5, 2015

KBL games will now be played regularly 7 days a week.

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Foreign player renewal:

Rod Benson (Ulsan)
Ricardo Ratliffe (Ulsan)
Aaron Haynes (SK)
Courtney Sims (SK)
Davon Jefferson (LG)
Chris Massie (LG)
Charles Rhodes (ET)
Ricardo Powell (ET)
Tyler Wilkerson (KCC)

Aaron Haynes now has played 7 seasons in the KBL, matching that of Henry McDowell (97-04). While Ulsan and LG brings back their foreigners that had helped them get into the finals.